Ohanaeze reminded the President his actions fuelled the agitation for a separate state by members of IPOB and others in the South-East, describing IPOB as a product of injustice.

Buhari had, in interview granted to Bloomberg, urged “international allies to take additional step to proscribe IPOB and designate it as a terrorist organisation.”

He was quoted to have “pleaded with Nigeria’s international partners, especially the United States and the United Kingdom to block the group from the international financial network.”

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman for Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said what IPOB was asking for is very clear; “treat us as partners in the Nigerian project or allow us to go.”

Ohanaeze, in the statement titled, “IPOB as a product of injustice,” said, “It is most expedient to enlighten the general public that what IPOB is asking for is the parting words of a Nigerian titan, the Maitama Sule imperatives, to President Buhari when he led the Northern Leaders Forum to congratulate him shortly after his victory in the 2015 general elections.”

The statement read in part, “What I think IPOB is asking for is very clear: treat us as partners in the Nigerian project or allow us to go.

On the other hand, how can one explain the obvious lopsidedness in the appointment of military and paramilitary personnel to head the following organisations with little or no considerations for the people of the South-East region; Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security, National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service; and several others.

“On the other hand, as Maitama Sule predicted the orchestrated alienation of the South-East region from the centre of power as the cause of the agitation in the region.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, has repeatedly stated that a people denied justice may not have interest in peace.

“The request by Mr President to the West is most unachievable because the West watches with keen interest and utter resignation the pathetic governance paradigm in the country. For the avoidance of doubt, democracy all over the world requires justice, equity, mutual toleration and institutional forbearance, all of which are in short supply in the country today.”

IPOB kicks

Also, the leadership of IPOB has lashed out at the President over allegations that the group was responsible for pipelines and public facilities’ vandalism in the country.

According to the group, Buhari further showed the world his ignorance when he stated that oil facilities, located on the coast of Niger Delta, were vandalised by IPOB.

IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, described the allegation as laughable and childish.

Powerful stated, “The President should tell America and other Western countries the locations of pipelines IPOB vandalised. The allegation against IPOB by Buhari is childish because everybody knows that IPOB does not engage in pipeline vandalism. Even the international community knows that IPOB is not involved in such acts.

“Going to Bloomberg news and parroting falsehoods against IPOB won’t save him and his co-travellers from being prosecuted in the International Criminal Court at the appropriate time.”

The group said the move is the Federal Government’s latest tactics in pursuance of its alleged “agenda to commit mass murder in Biafranland in its desperation to indict IPOB and the Eastern Security Network”.

In a statement on Sunday, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said rather than dialogue with the group as stated by the international community, the FG is flooding the South-East with the military, immigration, customs, DSS, and other paramilitary agencies.

Powerful said the security agencies are fully armed to the teeth with “guns and bombs which they now plant at strategic locations only them know about”.

Powerful said, “The Nigerian army has now resorted to planting bombs in Biafraland in pursuance of its evil agenda to commit mass murder of our people.

“It is on record that IPOB, ESN, volunteers and members have no business with IEDs because we do not need IEDs to drive Fulani terrorist Herdsmen from our forests and farmlands.”

He alleged that the Nigerian army has recently been populated by “Boko Haram and ISWAP members who are using IEDs because of their unquenching taste for innocent blood”.

The statement read in part, “The Federal Government in their desperation to diminish the outstanding global reputation of IPOB and of the ESN at home, has fully institutionalised kidnapping in the South East as a secret revenue machine of the Federal Government against the Igbo and the South.

“They are no longer satisfied with the Army and police road blocks on every kilometre on our roads which extort billions of dollars from Biafrans yearly. Now they have notched it up a bit with kidnappings through the instrumentality of their security agencies and its militia the Fulani terrorist Herdsmen.

It’s unfortunate, absurd, disgraceful, humiliating, scandalous and cheap that the Federal Government, instead of simply heeding to the call by the International community to dialogue which IPOB leadership has rather insisted as the viable solution, is flooding the South-East with the military, armed to the teeth with guns and bombs which they now plant in our land at strategic locations that only them know about.

“These IEDs they can activate, deactivate and exhume at will in the company of government-accredited media house members and staff for disinformation documentary and campaign against IPOB.IPOB will only accept and do anything that will guarantee us freedom from Nigeria, this is not to say that our ingenuity, abundant talents and competencies are in doubt should the push come to shove.Nigeria army burying explosives in the land of Biafra is to let our people know that the Federal Government and its compromised security agencies especially army and DSS will like to kill every single person moving around in Biafraland and make a clear way for Fulani to take over our ancestral lands.The international community knows that IPOB does not engage in explosives as Nigeria security agencies especially DSS and army personnel want them to believe but it important that we restate this fact that our struggle has no need of bombs and IEDs.”

This is as the secessionist group stressed that although the Federal Republic of Nigeria had tagged it a terrorist organisation, its modus operandi and demands do not in any way suggest it subscribes to the tenets and ideals of terrorism.

The group’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement, on Wednesday, thanking Biafrans for painstakingly participating in the annual May 31 Biafra Day.

The statement read in part, “The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to congratulate Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom across the world who made out time to grace the epoch event and remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of Biafra between 1967-1970 and till date.

We commend Biafrans both home and in the diaspora over their resilience, tenacity and effort in ensuring that our celebration of Biafran Heroes and Heroines was very successful and had a beautiful global outlook in all countries in the world.

“IPOB leadership brings to you a message of encouragement and hope from our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is joyful over the committed participation by IPOB families worldwide who demonstrated to the global community that we are ready to go and to manage our destiny in a free and Independent Biafran Nation.

“In line with fully charged emotions and agonising memories, we appeal to the conscience and conscious considerations of the International community to extend to West Africa and precisely the Biafrans that all important and widely preached and consistently published ‘United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, which includes but not limited to freedom to choose our POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS, SELF DETERMINATION, among others. It is also unheard of that we are by the stipulated policies of the Nigerian government not allowed self-motivated, community effort/financed regional infrastructural development in compliance with Sustainable Development Goals.

We equally thank IPOB families amongst us whose effort on this year’s Heroes Remembrance Day programme of events attracted distinguished diplomats and dignitaries of high repute, especially from their host countries.

“The indoor program yielded more opportunities for the tenacious pursuit of Biafra freedom and for our people to be re-educated by knowledgeable Biafrans and friends of Biafra on the need for us to remain peaceful and focused no matter the height of mountains of distractions and provocation from agent provocateurs working against our collective interest but working in collaboration with the Nigerian Fulani government.

“Therefore, everyone must endeavour to focus on the ball ‘the larger picture’ is our struggle to liberate our land from the distasteful forcible union called Nigeria.

“We are Biafrans of over 75 million in population. We are no terrorists, we are no criminals as our oppressor Nigeria wished to tag us. Every country and nation of the world’s police, immigration, foreign affairs and competent courts can attest to our good conduct, which is contrary to deliberate character assassination of a race by the Nigerian government police, armed forces and their media disinformation.”

The army, had, on Tuesday, through its spokesman, said it dislodged the camps of IPOB and Eastern Security Networks in Lilu, Ihiala.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that the security agencies only unleashed cruelty on the people living in those communities claiming they were members of IPOB and ESN.

Powerful stated that if criminals take refuge in any community in Biafra land, that doesn’t make them IPOB members or ESN operatives.

He said, “We have also not said there are no more criminal gangs in Biafra land just like every other country even in the advanced western nations. But we won’t accept the tagging of every criminal element found in Biafra as an IPOB member or ESN operative.

“Recall that some of these criminals were already mentioned by IPOB leadership sometime during a broadcast. These hoodlums were a creation of wicked politicians in their desperation to discredit IPOB and ESN.

The group claimed that the Nigeria Army, Police and DSS keeps dishing out falsehoods against IPOB and ESN by tagging those criminals they arrested as IPOB and ESN members.

It said the so-called camp where these said criminals were arrested does not belong to ESN, “They should stop lying against us,” Powerful said.

The statement further reads, “In Orsumoghu, Nnewi South, Lilu Orsumenyi of Ihiala LGA of Anambra State these criminals whose names are Emmanuel aka (Obereagu), Innocent Obiekee from Isingwu Orsumoghu, Izuchukwu from Amaduru Orsumoghu, Ofordie aka Baby, are the ones impersonating ESN/IPOB members using ESN name to commit crimes against the people of these communities they are not ESN members, the communities involved should use their vigilante group and stop them, ESN will help them too.In Orlu, Imo State, these criminals whose names are Agu, 50, Vice, Ojoo are the ones impersonating ESN/IPOB members to demonise IPOB and ESN members, they are sponsored by Hope Uzodinma and his co-travellers and traitors to demonise IPOB and ESN members in Imo State.They and their gang are collecting illegal levies at the Eke-Ututu market in the name of ESN when they are neither ESN operatives nor IPOB family members.The people are collecting proceeds from innocent communities. Collecting N5,000 from Orlu people in the name of ESN. These names mentioned or listed in this press statement have been declared Persona Non-Grata in Biafraland and they remain so. People must stop giving them money they are not ESN operatives and not IPOB volunteers.

“They have been kidnapping people, snatching cars and raping our women in our territory. IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives have also been making efforts to apprehend these agents of sorrow. We cannot watch these beasts created and sponsored by Hope Uzodinma, his masters in Miyeti Allah and their co-travellers destroy Biafra land.

The statement continues, “Again, ESN does not write letters to people or make calls to people requesting funds, funds for what we ask? IPOB and ESN have no dealings with such evil activities of these criminals who are now on the ESN watchlist. Be warned and stop giving them money in the name of ESN or IPOB volunteers.”

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, argued that it makes no sense to be desperate for a power shift in 2023, while IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu is still in detention.

The statement reads “The attention of IPOB has been drawn to the unpatriotic moves by some unreliable elders in Biafraland who are begging the Alamajiri elders for President of Nigeria from Igbo stock in 2023. We want to make it categorically clear to desperate Igbo politicians that IPOB is not looking for any Nigerian President of Igbo extraction under the present contraption called Nigeria. Again, IPOB will not be a party to their begging and fawning for a transient political office at the detriment of our freedom. They must understand that our singular concern is Kanu’s unconditional release. If our elders think they can use IPOB and Kanu to bargain their way to political office, they are in for the shock of their life”.

The secessionist group in a statement released by its spokesperson Emma Powerful stated that its priority is to secure the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu and not elections.

IPOB further averred that it has not asked anyone to impose the sit-at-home order. It also dissociated itself from a viral voice note warning hotel owners in Anambra to shut down from November 4.

The statement read “IPOB wish to correct some misconceptions, unfounded speculations and outright falsehood concerning our position on the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in Anambra state.  First of all, we wish to reiterate that IPOB did not at any time issue an order or call for the boycott of the said election contrary to misconceptions in certain quarters. IPOB has nothing to do with the Anambra election. Nobody should therefore link us with the election. The freedom of our Leader is what matters to us and we don’t need distractions. The priority of IPOB is to secure the unconditional release of our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been illegally detained since his rendition to Nigeria. All we said was that if by November 4 those who abducted, renditioned and illegally detained him fail to release him unconditionally, Biafrans shall embark on civil disobedience of a one-week sit-at-home beginning from November 5 to November 10. This action has nothing to do with the Anambra election. We are not concerned if anyone wishes to participate or not to participate in the Anambra election. But our only advice to Ndi Anambra especially those contemplating to vote is to be very careful about their security. We want to categorically state that IPOB has not asked anybody to monitor or enforce compliance to any sit-at-home as this is unnecessary because Biafrans willingly and consciously obey IPOB’s call for Sit-At-Home. Our people are all fed up with their suffering and oppressive conditions imposed upon us by the contraption called Nigeria and do not need any persuasion to do the needful. We also wish to totally dissociate IPOB from a viral voice note warning hotel owners in Anambra to shut down from November 4. The said voice note never emanated from IPOB. It’s another handiwork of our oppressors in their desperation to implicate IPOB. We, therefore, urge members of the public to discountenance such rubbish. IPOB under Nnamdi Kanu is not the author. We, therefore, warn that anybody caught trying to use the name of IPOB to foment trouble in Anambra State or any part of Biafra land will regret his or her actions. IPOB has never told anybody or group to boycott the Anambra election. We are only interested in the freedom of our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU.”

The Media and Publicity Secretary of the secessionist group, Emma Powerful, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Awka, Anambra State.

He gave the names of the lawyers as Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor.

The IPOB publicist said, “We wish to put the whole world on notice about the wicked plot by the frustrated government of Nigeria to secretly eliminate our resilient lawyers, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor, over their committed efforts in the defence of our leader. The Nigerian government is not happy with the expertise and professional prowess of these veteran lawyers and other members of the legal team to deflate the fabricated charges against our leader, hence, their plot to eliminate them. Intelligence report at our disposal also indicates that this covert plan extends to the elimination of Mazi Benjamin Madubugwu, Bright Ishinwa, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and David Nwawuisi. Several state coordinators are also on their elimination list, handed down by the Nigerian government to its security agencies. The Nigerian government intends to carry out this targeted elimination through the security personnel deployed in the South-East under the guise of Operation Golden Dawn to do the dirty job. The compromised security agents have decided to eliminate Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers once they step into any part of the South-East. The world should hold Nigeria Government responsible should anything happen to our lawyers and any of those listed above. This is not the first time such an evil plot would be hatched against them as Ejiofor has severally escaped assassination attempts on his life by these same Nigerian security operatives. His attackers had twice set his home on fire. The world must take note and pay attention to the atrocities being committed in Biafra land by the Nigerian government.”

The statement added that IPOB was bringing the plot of the Nigerian government to the attention of the international community.

IPOB, in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said it only called for a sit-at-home on Thursday when its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was expected to be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

IPOB said that it cancelled its weekly sit-at-home when it observed that some people wanted to cash in on it to unleash mayhem on the people of the South-East region.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra, ably led by our great and indefatigable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the fabricated statement being circulated by mischief makers and paid agents of darkness that IPOB had directed Biafrans to sit at home on Monday, October 18; Tuesday, October 19; and Thursday, October 21, for our leader the and one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest. We want to make it categorically clear that the purported statement did not emanate from IPOB and we completely dissociate the body from such falsehood. IPOB did not issue any sit-at-home order except on October 21, when our leader is expected to appear in court.”

This is as the group claimed that the ‘senseless’ killings were politically motivated, stating that masterminds were taking advantage of the current situation in the region to unleash mayhem on their political opponents.

The group also noted that it did not at any point issue a statement on the forthcoming governorship elections in Anambra State, to the effect, that the election will not hold.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the secessionist group, Emma Powerful, aired the group’s view in a statement, on Wednesday,

The statement read in part, “We the great family of the Indigenous People of Biafra ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukkwu Kanu, wish to dissociate ourselves from the senseless killing of innocent citizens in Anambra State. We have no hands in the political killings going on in Biafra land. We have at several times raised the alarm that some cruel politicians are hiding under the cloak of the situation in Biafra land to eliminate their political enemies and blame it on IPOB. We also wish to clarify that IPOB has never issued an official statement that there would be no governorship election in Anambra State. Those peddling such rumour are not our members and should be ignored. Our position on the Anambra election will be made public at the right time through our normal channels of information dissemination. Anything to the contrary should be disregarded. Those who killed Dora Akunyili husband killed his wife with poison because she exposed the death of Yaradua for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to take over as President of Nigeria, they know themselves they conspired to poison Prof. Dora Akunyili. We have no issues with Chike Akunyili and we don’t know him, those behind this act must stop this and stop using IPOB’s name, we don’t want anybody to blame IPOB because we must get them, this is purely a political assassination going on in Anambra State now. It is obvious that those that burnt Anambra Government House and other parts of the state some years back are back to use intimidations and killings to subdue their opponents ahead of the governorship election in Anambra State.”

The group in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, asked banks in the South East Region to ‘peacefully’ bring down Nigerian flags in their premises, or IPOB members will be forced to bring down the flags themselves.

According to Powerful, the proscribed group is taking these actions in solidarity with Ambazonia, a secessionist group in Cameroon, whose purported independence anniversary is on October 1.

The statement in part read “IPOB has declared 1st of October 2021 total shutdown in Biafra land as a sign of our rejection of the construct called Nigeria and there shall be no movement in Biafra land on this day. IPOB leadership will communicate to Banks directly and give them reasons they must peacefully bring down the Nigerian flag in their banking premises before we do it ourselves in our own way. Everybody must strictly adhere to these directives from IPOB leadership, we want to let the world know that Biafraland is not Nigeria and shall not be. We advise Biafrans to stand with the Ambazonia people as they celebrate their God-given freedom and independence.”